Head collars are widely used as training and handling aids. For example, one popular conventional design for a head collar for dogs uses the forward pulling force generated by a dog to redirect the dog's head in a lateral direction, substantially perpendicular to the direction of the forward pulling, causing the dog to turn to the side and even to move in a circular direction if the pulling continues.
Although effective in discouraging pulling and other assertive behaviors, conventional head collar designs that force an animal's head to the side can undesirably inflict pain and/or injury on the animal when certain, relatively common, animal handling techniques are employed. For example, although commonly used, and generally a safe and effective handling technique, leash corrections may be problematic when applied to a dog wearing a conventional head collar.
Specifically, a leash correction intended merely to refocus a dog's attention away from a distraction may unintentionally apply a forceful lateral, sideways, snap to the dog's head, which is inhumane, is likely to inflict substantial discomfort, and may cause serious injury to the dog. Consequently, there is a need in the art for a safe and human head collar designed to avoid the application of a lateral or sideways force to an animal's head when a leash or other type of lead attached to the head collar is pulled, either due to a force applied by the animal or due to a correction technique applied by an animal handler.